Manufacturing Method of Aseptic Packaged Food

ABSTRACT

A manufacturing method of aseptic packaged food, including filling with food a connected container body  1  in which a plurality of containers are connected with each other; moving the connected container body  1  in the connecting direction of the container part  2  by pushing the connected container body  1  in a connecting direction of the container part  2 ; performing a predetermined food process to the connected container body  1 ; sealing the connected container body  1  using a sealing material; and making as a aseptic packaged food  1   a  by dividing the connected container body  1  into each container part  2.

CROSS-REFERENCE(S) TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present invention claims priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-262143, filed on Nov. 17, 2009, which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a manufacturing method of aseptic packaged food.

2. Description of Related Art

Recently, there has been developed aseptic packaged food in which food such as cooked rice or noodles is aseptically packaged in a heat-resistant container. Even though the aseptic packaged food is stored for a long time at room temperature, it maintains its flavor, and also it is simply cooked using the microwave, and thus it is being widely used by consumers. The aseptic packaged food is manufactured by filling food in a container, sterilizing or cooking the food by heating, and sealing the container using a sealing material. Conventional manufacturing methods of aseptic packaged food have been proposed as follows:

-   Reference 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-142693 -   Reference 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-283084 -   Reference 3: Japanese Patent No. 4138861

In the conventional manufacturing methods of aseptic packaged food, the containers filled with food are separately transported one by one. Further, device referred to as a conveying plate is used to transport the containers, and the conveying plate is a conveying pallet for receiving all of the containers.

Meanwhile, there is recently developed a large-scaled manufacturing apparatus which can collect and heat the containers filled with food at once. In this manufacturing apparatus, it is possible to improve production efficiency by automating the transportation of the containers using a belt conveyor and the like.

In case that the containers are received in the conveying plate, though the conveying plate is moved in any direction, the containers are not scattered. However, in the manufacturing methods of aseptic packaged food, sometimes the containers are transported in a state of being arranged one by one without use of the conveying plate. In this case, a problem occurs according to a direction of arranging the containers and a direction of moving the containers. That is, in case that the containers are arranged in a row, even if the containers are pushed in a direction orthogonal (hereinafter, called “row direction”) to the direction of arranging the containers (hereinafter, called “column direction”), the containers are not scattered. However, in case that the containers are arranged in multiple rows (for example, 2 rows), if the containers are pushed in the column direction, the positions of the arranged containers to be scattered.

In case that the containers are transported without use of the conveying plate, it is necessary to arrange again the containers with operator's hands according to the direction of arranging the containers and the direction of moving the containers. Therefore, even though a product line is constructed which can be transport a lot of containers continuously using a belt conveyor by establishing the large-scaled manufacturing apparatus, in case of the manufacturing method includes transporting the containers without use of the conveying plate, there are problem that it is difficult to improve the production efficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment is directed to providing a manufacturing method of aseptic packaged food, which can improve the production efficiency of the aseptic packaged food.

The present invention provides a manufacturing method of aseptic packaged food, including filling with food a connected container body in which a plurality of containers are connected with each other; moving the connected container body in the connecting direction of the container part by pushing the connected container body in a connecting direction of the container part; performing a predetermined food process to the connected container body; sealing the connected container body using a sealing material; and making as the aseptic packed food by dividing the connected container body into each container part.

Preferably, the connected container body is connected with the adjacent containers.

Preferably, the connected container body is that two containers are connected with each other in a direction that the containers are pushed, but not connected in a orthogonal direction to the direction that the containers are pushed.

Preferably, the connected container body is that two containers are connected with each other in a direction that the containers are pushed, and another two containers are connected with each other in an orthogonal direction to the direction that the containers are pushed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a connected container body and a conveying plate for receiving the connected container body according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of food manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic plan views showing an operation in case that a connected container body pushed in a column direction by a container sending device.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic plan views showing an operation in case that multiple containers arranged in two rows are pushed in a column direction by a container sending device.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing an example in case that the connected container body which sealed by sealing material is divided into four packs of aseptic packaged food.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the connected container body and the conveying plate for receiving the connected container body according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF MAIN ELEMENTS

-   -   1, 1A: connected container body     -   2, 2A: container part     -   3, 3A: conveying plate     -   4, 4A: opening part     -   5: container sending device     -   11: hopper     -   13: belt conveyor     -   14: rice cooking device     -   15: water supply part     -   16: sealing device     -   17: vapor generating device     -   18: cooling device     -   19: drying device     -   20: pushing device     -   21: container pushing part     -   22: arm part

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

The advantages, features and aspects of the food manufacturing apparatus according to the invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, which is set forth hereinafter. An embodiment of the present invention is illustrated using cooked rice (retort rice) which contained in container as an aseptic packaged food, as an example.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a connected container body and a conveying plate for receiving the connected container body according to an embodiment of the present invention. The connected container body 1 is made up of a heat-resistant container such as plastic. The connected container body 1 has multiple container parts 2 in the form of a box-like frame. In the embodiment, the connected container body 1 has four container parts 2. In the connected container body 1, adjacent container parts 2 are connected with each other. In the embodiment, when the connected container body 1 is received in the conveying plate 3, two container parts 2 connected with each other in a column direction and two container parts 2 connected with each other in a row direction, at a time. That is, the connected container body 1 has the four container parts 2 formed into 2 (in the column direction)×2 (in the row direction).

The container part 2 is filled with soaked rice as a raw material. The connected container body 1 is divided into each container part 2 as the aseptic packaged food by a punching process of a step S13 to be described later.

A conveying plate 3 is a metal pallet which the cross section is formed in about ‘

’ shape. The conveying plate 3 has three opening parts 4 for receiving the connected container body 1 along the longitudinal direction. The opening part 4 has an enough size to receive all of the four container parts 2 when one connected container body 1 is received in the opening part 4. In FIG. 1, the left connected container body 1 is in a state before being received in the conveying plate, and other connected container bodies 1 are in a state received in the conveying plate. When the three connected container bodies 1 are received in the conveying plate 3, the three connected container bodies 1 are arranged in a row along the longitudinal direction of the conveying plate 3. Further, the number of opening part 4 for receiving the connected container body 1 is set according to the number of connected container body 1 to be received.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the food manufacturing apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The food manufacturing apparatus 10 is a device to carry out the manufacturing method of aseptic packaged food according to the present invention. Hereinafter, a series of processing steps until the aseptic packaged food is completed by using the food manufacturing apparatus 10 will be described. Further, symbol “S1, S2 . . . Sn” as shown in FIG. 2 designate a step number in each process.

First of all, the connected container body 1 is provided at Step 1. In the process of Step S1, the connected container bodies 1 which is arranged in the stacked state are provided one by one. In the process of Step S2, each container parts 2 of connected container body 1 are filled with soaked rice as a food material. A certain amount of soaked rice is supplied to the connected container body 1 from a hopper 11 in which the soaked rice is stored.

In the process of Step S3, the connected container body 1 is received in the conveying plate 3. In this step S3, the connected container body 1 filled with the soaked rice is received in the conveying plate 3 in turns. But, at the step S2, three connected container bodies 1 may be filled with the soaked rice at the same time. In this case, the three connected container bodies 1 are simultaneously received in the conveying plate 3 at the Step S3.

In the process of Step S4, the connected container body 1 together with the conveying plate 3 is carried into a heat sterilizer 12 so that the soaked rice filled in the connected container body 1 is heat-sterilized. In this heat sterilization (first sterilization) according to the step S4, vapor heated at 130˜145° C. is supplied for 10˜90 seconds in a pressurized state.

In the process of Step S5, the connected container body 1 received in the conveying plate 3 is carried out in the heat sterilizer 12. And, the three connected container bodies 1 are separated from the conveying plate 3, and then put on a belt conveyor 13. At this time, the three connected container bodies 1 are arranged in a row along the sending direction of the belt conveyor 13. The three connected container bodies 1 are transported to a certain position by the belt conveyor 13. Also, at the certain position, the connected container bodies 1 are carried in the device for a next process by pushing in a column direction.

Meanwhile, the conveying plate 3 from which the connected container body 1 is removed is returned to a place for performing the process of the Step S3 through a clean tunnel (not shown). This embodiment of the present invention is shown that the conveying plate 3 is not used after the process of the Step S5. However, the conveying plate 3 may be used in other processes.

In the process of Step S6, the three connected container bodies 1 which is put on the belt conveyor 13 are transported to an entrance of a rice cooking device 14. And, the three connected container bodies 1 are simultaneously carried in the rice cooking device 14 by a container sending device (not shown). The container sending device will be described later.

In the process of Step S7, a certain amount of water is supplied to the connected container body 1 by a water supply part 15 of the rice cooking device 14. In the process of Step S8, vapor heated at about 100° C. is supplied from a vapor bath (not shown) of the rice cooking device 14 to the connected container body 1 for 20˜30 minutes so as to cook the soaked rice. By the vapor supplied in the rice cooking process, second sterilization is naturally performed. In the process of Step S9, the connected container body 1 is transported to a sealing device 16, and is covered with a seal material (not shown) under the clean environment and then sealed by thermal bonding.

In the process of Step S10, the connected container body 1 is transported from the sealing device 16 to a vapor generating device 17, and then a surface of the connected container body 1 is sterilized by supplying vapor heated at 70˜80° C. for 10˜20 minutes (third sterilization). The third sterilization also provides an effect of steaming the cooked rice.

Further, in the process of the Step S10, the connected container body 1 may be returned again to the rice cooking device 14, and then the vapor heated at the same temperature may be supplied for the same time from the vapor both (not shown). Furthermore, instead of the heated vapor, hot water or hot water shower at 70˜80° C. may be supplied from a hot water supply device (not shown).

In the process of Step S11, the connected container body 1 is transported to a cooling device 18, and then cold water or cold water shower is supplied for 10˜30 minutes so as to cool the connected container body 1. In the process of Step S12, the connected container body 1 is transported to a drying device 19 and then dried under an environment that temperature and humidity is controlled. In the process of Step S13, the connected container body 1 is transported to a punching device 20 and then punched into a desired shape. Thereby, the connected container body 1 is divided into four packs of aseptic packaged food. Then, the divided aseptic packaged food is transported to a visual inspection process and a packing process. Further, the punching process of the connected container body 1 may be performed after the visual inspection process.

Next, an operation that the connected container body 1 is pushed in the column direction and carried into the device for the next process will be described. Herein, as an example of an operation of pushing the connected container body 1, the operation at the Step S6, that the connected container body 1 transported to the entrance of the rice cooking device 14 is transported to the rice cooking device 14 by belt conveyor 13, will be described. However, the operation that the connected container body 1 is pushed in the column direction and carried into the device for the next process is not limited to this, and it may be also performed between other processes. For example, it may be performed between the Step S8 to the Step S13.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic plan views showing an operation in case that a connected container body 1 pushed in a column direction by a container sending device. FIG. 3A shows a state of the connected container body 1 before being pushed, and FIG. 3B shows a state of the connected container body 1 after being pushed. As shown in FIG. 3A, a container sending device 5 includes a container pushing part 21, an arm part 22 which moves the container pushing part 21 in an arrow direction A (and the opposite direction) in the figure, an actuator (not shown) which functions as a power source for moving the arm part 22, and a control part which controls a driving direction and operation timing of the actuator. The container sending device 5 is configured so that the connected container body 1 on the belt conveyor 13 is pushed in the column direction by moving the container pushing part 21 in the arrow direction A in the figure.

In FIG. 3A, the three connected container bodies 1 are arranged along a sending direction (row direction) of the belt conveyor 13. The connected container bodies 1 are transported to the entrance of the rice cooking device 14. In this situation, if the container sending device 5 is operated, the arm part 22 is push out in the arrow direction A. Then, as shown in FIG. 3B, the connected container bodies 1 are pushed in the column direction by the container pushing part 21 and carried into the rice cooking device 14.

That is, in the connected container body 1 of the present invention, since the container parts 2 of each connected container body 1 are connected with each other in the column direction that the connected container body 1 is pushed, the container parts 2 are transported in the state which the arrangement of containers on the belt conveyor 13 is maintained without being scattered, when the connected container body 1 is pushed in the column direction by the container pushing part 21.

For comparison, a case when each containers arranged in two rows are pushed by the same container sending device 5 will be described. FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic plan views showing an operation in case that multiple containers arranged in two rows are pushed in a column direction by the container sending device 5. FIG. 4A shows a state of the containers before being pushed, and FIG. 3B shows a state of the containers after being pushed.

In FIG. 4A, twelve containers 6 are arranged in two rows along the sending direction (row direction) of the belt conveyor 13. The containers 6 arranged in the two rows are transported to the entrance of the rice cooking device 14. In this situation, if the container sending device 5 is operated, the arm part 22 is push out in the arrow direction A. Then, as shown in FIG. 4B, each container 6 is freely moved when it is pushed in the column direction by the container pushing part 21.

That is, in FIG. 4, since the containers 6 are not connected with each other in the column direction that the containers 6 are pushed, in case that the containers 6 are pushed in the column direction by the container pushing part 21, each container 6 is freely moved. Therefore, the arrangement of the containers on the belt conveyor 13 cannot be maintained, and thus the containers arranged in two rows are scattered separately when the containers are transported into the rice cooking device 14. Such as, in case that each container 6 is arranged in two rows, the arrangement of the containers 6 is respectively scattered when it is transported. But, in case of using the connected container body 1 of the present invention, the arrangement thereof is maintained as described above.

Next, the punching process of the connected container body 1 according to the process of Step S13 will be described. FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing an example in case that the sealed connected container body 1 is divided into four packs of aseptic packaged food. The broken line of the connected container body 1 shown in FIG. 5 shows a part to be punched by a press. In the process of Step S13, if the connected container body 1 is punched by the punching device 20, one connected container body 1 is divided into four packs of aseptic packaged food 1 a and a punched frame 1 b. As described above, at the Step S13, the connected container body 1 is pushed into the punching device 20, and thus the connected container body 1 is divided into four packs of aseptic packaged food 1 a.

Next, another construction of the connected container body 1 will be described. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the connected container body and the conveying plate for receiving the connected container body according to another embodiment of the present invention. A connected container body 1A of the embodiment has two container parts 2A connected in the column direction, but not connected in the row direction when it is received in the conveying plate 3. That is, the connected container body 1A of the embodiment is that two container parts (2A) connected with each other to be a form of 2 (in the column direction)×1 (in the row direction)

Meanwhile, a conveying plate 3A has six opening parts 4A for receiving the connected container bodies 1A along a longitudinal direction. The opening part 4A has an enough size to receive all of the two container parts 2 when one connected container body 1A is received in the opening part 4A. In FIG. 6, the left two connected container bodies 1A are in a state before being received in the conveying plate 3A, and other connected container bodies 1A are in a state received in the conveying plate 3A. When the six connected container bodies 1A are received in the conveying plate 3A, the six connected container bodies 1A are arranged in a row along a longitudinal direction of the conveying plate 3A. With regard to the connected container body 1A and the conveying plate 3A according to the embodiment of the present invention, twelve packs of aseptic packaged food can be transported in the same manner as in the embodiment of FIG. 1. Further, the number of opening parts 4A for receiving the connected container body 1A is set according to the number of connected container body 1A.

Further, the combination of the container parts according to the connected container body is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment. For example, six container parts may be connected with each other to be a form of 2 (in the column direction)×3 (in the row direction), or twelve container parts may be connected with each other to be a form of 3 (in the column direction)×4 (in the row direction). The combination of the container parts according to the connected container body may be properly selected according to a size of the equipment such as the belt conveyor 13 or the heat sterilizer 12.

The manufacturing method of aseptic packaged food according to the embodiments of the present invention has effects as follows:

(1) since the container parts 2 of the connected container body 1 are connected with each other, even though the container parts 2 are pushed by the container pushing part 21, the container parts 2 is transported in the state which arrangement of the containers on the belt conveyor 13 is maintained, into the device for a next process without being scattered. Thereby, in case that the connected container bodies 1 arranged in a row is pushed in the column direction, it is not necessary to arrange again the connected container bodies 1 with operator's hands. Thus, in the product line is constructed which can be transport a lot of containers continuously using a belt conveyor by establishing the large-scaled manufacturing apparatus, it is possible to increase the production efficiency of the aseptic packaged food.

(2) since the container parts 2 of the connected container body 1 are connected with each other, even though vibration may be generated while the connected container bodies 1 are transported by the belt conveyor 13, the dislocation of containers by the vibration are hardly occurred in comparison with the case that the containers are separately arranged on the belt conveyor. Furthermore, even if the containers are dislocated, it is possible to easily correct the positions of the multiple containers simultaneously by arranging again the connected container body 1. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to minimize the dislocation of the connected container body 1 upon the transportation process.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide the manufacturing method of aseptic packaged food, which can improve the production efficiency of the aseptic packaged food.

While the present invention has been described with respect to the specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. 

1. A manufacturing method of aseptic packaged food, comprising the process of: filling with food a connected container body in which a plurality of containers are connected with each other; moving the connected container body in the connecting direction of the container part by pushing the connected container body in a connecting direction of the container part; performing a predetermined food process to the connected container body; sealing the connected container body using a sealing material; and making as the aseptic packaged food by dividing the connected container body into each container part.
 2. The manufacturing method of claim 1, wherein the connected container body is connected with the adjacent containers.
 3. The manufacturing method of claim 1 wherein the connected container body is that two containers are connected with each other in a direction that the containers are pushed, but not connected in a orthogonal direction to the direction that the containers are pushed.
 4. The manufacturing method of claim 1 wherein the connected container body is that two containers are connected with each other in a direction that the containers are pushed, and another two containers are connected with each other in an orthogonal direction to the direction that the containers are pushed.
 5. The manufacturing method of claim 2 wherein the connected container body is that two containers are connected with each other in a direction that the containers are pushed, but not connected in a orthogonal direction to the direction that the containers are pushed.
 6. The manufacturing method of claim 2 wherein the connected container body is that two containers are connected with each other in a direction that the containers are pushed, and another two containers are connected with each other in an orthogonal direction to the direction that the containers are pushed. 